Attila Tari did not leave Hungary because of political unrest or economic instability. Instead, he left for purely personal reasons: chasing a dream he hoped to make a reality.

Born in 1972, Mr. Tari was a lawyer in his hometown of Budapest. He worked with a human rights firm and had a private practice where he worked with asylum seekers and other immigrants. Attila had been dating a fellow Hungarian, but she immigrated to the California to pursue better educational opportunities. Wanting to continue the relationship, Mr. Tari left everything behind and travel to the U.S.

Mr. Tari arrived in 2007 with a student visa. Upon arrival, he looked for a place to live. He was surprised to learn how difficult his search would be due to his lack of credit history. Attila also went back to school to earn his Master’s of Laws degree. In 2008, Mr. Tari and his girlfriend married.

Currently, Mr. Tari is a client account advisor for Berry Appleman & Leiden—a corporate immigration firm. He is preparing to take the California bar exam so he can once again practice law. Attila lives in San Jose, California with his wife and two children.